MDC-T supporters celebrate Chamisa's 'defeat', he was causing chaos

MDC-T supporters are celebrating the defeat of Nelson Chamisa for the Secretary General's post by Douglas Mwonzora, alleging that the young "Turk" was causing chaos in the party.

Mwonzora emerged winner at the party's weekend congress, garnering 2, 474 votes against Chamisa's 1,756.

The victory, according to party insiders, was not surprising considering that Chamisa was ‘causing confusion within the structures'. A member of the Provincial Executive said supporters had favoured Mwonzora because he was the most likely candidate to reshape the party's grassroots support. Last month, Chamisa, the former National Organising Secretary, bagged his sixth party provincial nomination against Mwonzora's single nomination.

The Kuwadzana East MP garnered a massive 169 votes against Mwonzora's 60 during the Midlands North nominations, a figure which the source alleged was the outcome of manipulation of the electorate by Chamisa.

"If he was endorsed like that by grassroots supporters, then how come he lost by such a wide margin at the Congress?" queried the source.

Chamisa, who earned himself the nickname ‘Cobra', is alleged to have financed the presence of supporters from districts outside Harare in his bid for the SG's post.

"Of what business is it to you if Chamisa paid for my trip? This is our party business and it has nothing to do with journalists," said a furious Chamisa sympathiser from Midlands, only identified as Farai.

Chamisa was not available for a comment as his phone was always giving the busy tone.

The secretary general's post was left vacant by former Finance Minister Tendai Biti following his break away to form the MDC Renewal Team. The majority of top office bearers kept their positions as they were unchallenged.

But some supporters accused Mwonzora of vote buying."He (Mwonzora) is also not clean because he has been on a vote buying spree ahead of the party's national congress," said Aretha Mguni from Matabeleland.

But she said she was optimistic that the ‘competent lawyer' would deliver.Supporters who spoke to The Zimbabwean alleged that both Mwonzora and Chamisa financed the journey to congress of grassroots supporters in their quest to win the hearts of the electorate.

Another source alleged that Mwonzora bought supporters beer and gave them money to campaign for him at the venue of the party's national event.

Mwonzora could not comment. "Can you call me after about 15 minutes because I am a bit busy now," he said, but his phone was not available thereafter.

Party president Morgan Tsvangirai appealed to supporters to remain united in their quest for change. "We must ask ourselves whose interests are best served by these rebellions and splits? "All problems can definitely be solved internally. Breaking away can only strengthen Zanu-PF and not the democratic movement.

"After disagreements in the cockpit of the party following the stolen election of July 2013, we decided to hold an early Congress so that the entire leadership would seek a new mandate from the people," said Tsvangirai, accusing members of the Renewal Team of being too "lily- livered" to seek a new mandate from the electorate.

"We are in the middle of a debilitating economic crisis; a crisis that has exposed the lack of political leadership in government. We must debate and agree on our response to that national challenge so that we transform our party into a strong institution with a united leadership that will definitely win the next election," he said.